Illinois crops enjoying heat of summer growing season

Where is the time going? Out in the fields, things are
really enjoying the heat of the summer. Monday evening, a storm came through my
area, but we only received two- to four-tenths of an inch of rain here. It seems
like the ones that could use a rain are missing them or receiving very little.
The ones that have been getting plenty of rain keep getting too much, and some
of those storms have damaging winds and some hail in them.

Most all of the nitrogen sidedressing is completed on the
corn. Corn spraying is also pretty well finished here. The larger corn has the
rows all shaded. Most all of the corn has good color and is really taking up the
nitrogen. The replanted corn is small and has a long way to go, but is looking
good and has nice, even stands. The soybean crop is really growing, too. We
sprayed our beans last week. It looks like we had a good weed kill.

We do not have any wheat out, but I have talked to growers
that do. Some of them are concerned with head scab damage, and others that
sprayed the wheat think that they are OK. The wheat seems to be changing pretty
fast, but it is that time of the year.

I hope we don’t keep missing the rains here, but am thankful
to miss any bad storms. The ground is cracked out in the fields more than I
would like to see this early in the season. Hope everyone has a good
week.